Nail Polish
by Ze Cheshire Cat
Summary: What kind of girl are you? She was shy, quiet, and didn't have many friends. She was lonely, and so was he. Itachi X Sakura


It was a long time ago, when she had met that man... he had been a boy back then. And as a boy, he had been a smidge happier. He was just as quiet as he was now, although she can't really vouch for how badly his personality has twisted at this point in time; but she remembered he was quiet then, but happy. She guessed. He at least smiled.

She didn't really even know him back then.

If she remembered right, it was a day in late spring. It was right after all the trees were redressed in green, and all the ugly brown grass was flush and vibrant, and the flowers had bloomed with mass. There was a crisp breeze that battled the upcoming heat wave proving that summer was right around the corner.

Ino wanted to pick flowers for her mother, or boy watch, or something just as equally mundane. As for why she was in the park, she can't recall but it had to do with a persisting Ino. Back then, before her hair had grown long and she still wore that ribbon of friendship, she couldn't refuse anything Ino asked of her. That was the only friend she had. It wasn't as though she didn't mind watching the boys either... There were many cute ones, many of whom she recognized from the ninja academy. Such as Kiba, for instance. Sakura thought he was really cute, and would have loved to talk with the rambuncious fellow, but he seemed perfectly content to ignore her as long as Akamaru would fetch the frisbee... tottering after the disc as fast as his little white legs would carry him, attempting to take the entirety of plastic into his muzzle, then scurry back to his owner. A couple of times he fumbled, but that was to be expected when the frisbee was about the same length he was.

Even though Sakura thought Kiba was cute, there was a more persistant boy that she fawned over... as well as the rest of the girl population at Konoha. "Sasuke is just the coolest! He's so goregous! With such dark eyes! He's just the best looking guy ever!" Ino squealed beside her. Her blonde companion was jerking what looked like weeds, although Ino would probably know better than that, from the ground. They were tossed haphazardly into her wicker basket that nestled between the two of them. All the while Ino chattered about things, many things, different things, anything there was to talk about because Ino could talk better, more steadfastly, and longer (and louder) than anyone else. But more often than not, the subject was about Sasuke.

They both liked him (as well as over half of the girl population in Konoha), and it was he that caused a rift between the two girls in the first place. Even so, Sakura was only happy to accompany Ino to the park to enjoy the afternoon, because what else was she to do? Even in the ninja academy, she didn't have that many friends... and the ones she did she made through Ino's persistence that she was a cool kid.

And even now, as she sat beside her best friend slash rival, Ino twittered on about Sasuke as though he wasn't a wedge driving their friendship apart. But... he was a good-looking wedge...

"Isn't he just... like so totally awesome?" Ino asked Sakura, although it was obvious a reply wasn't required. Ino talked a lot, weither to herself or someone else, it didn't seem to matter. She talked a lot, fawning over Sasuke with a love rivalring her own (damn it) and always had something to say about him (even if it was repeated... just a little). Sakura would sit and listen, nodding her head to confirm it that yes, she had never seen anyone so beautiful, and yes, he was an absolute god-send of perfection given to the female race. But she didn't have much to include on the conversation. Because anything she could come up with, Ino had already said... twice. That and Ino's friends took a liking to shooting her dirty looks whenever she made to speak her mind, so sometimes it was just better to be quiet. When Ino would ask her for her opinion, or give her the chance to make a comment that would show everyone that, wow, she really is awesome and, wow, nobody deserves Sasuke more than her, she would remain quiet.

But until then... she just lets Ino do the talking.

And maybe that was why she was so startled when he spoke to her. It was one word, "hey" but it was directed towards her. Her large, green eyes blinked owlishly up at the man (although he wasn't a man back then, but certainly a few years older than her). He was much taller than she, with long dark hair pooling down his back in a mussy ponytail. Dark bangs fringed his dark eyes, and lines... what looked like lines of frowning marked his face.

"H- Hello..." She hated it when she stuttered. It was embarrasing, and most people didn't bother to pay enough attention for her to get the words out; but it was a nervous habit. She could never just speak clearly, like Ino who just burst out a cheery "Hi! How are you! Who are you?" to their dark-clothed visitor.

The frowny-lines boy ignored Ino (gaining a scowl from her) and focused upon the pinkette. She didn't know this boy, although he did look somewhat familiar... Maybe she had seen him around the academy? He was tall, dark, and... cute. Really cute. He was cute enough to earn a blush that was not unlike the cherry blossoms she was named for.

"Do you have any black nail polish?" He asked. Sakura blinked again, staring up at the Guy. A Boy. A Boy asking for nail polish. Ino snickered beside her. Whispering so that her stutter wouldn't be so obvious, she shook her head briefly. "Ah, no.. I don't." Her head tilted downwards from his sharp gaze.

"What makes you think she would have that?" Ino ask, her lips pursed in an way that spoke obviously-I'm-more-worth-talking-to way. She did that sometimes, a lot. Maybe just because they were friends, that didn't mean Ino didn't have an arrogance complex that made her feel as though she was better than Sakura. Always better than Sakura. (Sometimes she wonder if Ino didn't just drag her own to make herself feel more confident... but would never mention this. Because, Sakura didn't believe she could compare to Ino.)

Once more ignoring Ino, the taller boy who had to be about twelve or more (but then again, she was never good at guessing ages) spoke directly to Sakura. "What kind of girl are you? You have no nail polish?"

Sakura's jaw swung low a bit before snapping back into place, jarring her face with a new shade of red. "I didn't say that! I- I... I just don't have black." Her eyes lowered to her hands, wringing the fabric of her navy shirt. Her nails were a deep shade of purple, painted by her mother the night before. She loved purple, but Ino admonished her for having such a stark color. "It clashes with your hair," she had said.

"Then what is that?" His head tilted in the direction of her hands, as though he though she was lying. Sakura bit the inside of her cheek. A single hand shoved towards his face, not that she could reach him, and flexed her fingers. "It's purple."_ My mother did them... _She would have liked to have said, but he didn't seem interested. He was staring intently on her very purple nails as though it where the most fascinating color.

His head bobbed, then he quickly turned and strode away. Leaving Sakura with her hand dangling in the air, she stared after him and wondered if maybe he was just wanting to make fun of her. Although, focusing on his back she heard a gasp from Ino. "Oh my god! That's the Uchiha crest! He's related to Sasuke!"

Sasuke. That's all she ever thought about.

* * *

The next day, Ino didn't fetch her to go play. She was probably upset about that boy yesterday. That boy... that Sakura couldn't get out of her head. He was related to Sasuke, and now that she thought about it... they looked a lot of like. They could have been cousins or maybe even brothers. They had the face, albeit Sasuke's was more round and childish and frowny-line's was longer and his eyes darker and he seemed... more sad. Even when scolding her for having no nail polish, he seemed depressed. Not out-right frowning or looking like he was about to cry... but sad. He looked a lot like the blonde boy who swung by himself on the tree outside the Ninja Academy. Outwardly bright and respondant, but never all there; like his thoughts were lurking elsewhere just on the periferee. Someone who's lonely... like she used to be before Ino came along, and even now sometimes. 

Maybe it was that loneliness that she related to. Maybe that was why she took her mother's fingernail polish (which she would be reprimanded for later because turns out, it's actually quite expensive) and headed out the door. By herself. She didn't go out very much by herself, but she just wanted to go back to the park. It wasn't like frowny-line's would be there.

He was a Uchiha, a pretty good-looking Uchiha (maybe more so than Sasuke), so surely he would have better things to do. He was probably just as great a ninja as the rest of the clan, so her parents say. He was probably off doing something more important. And shouldn't she be as well?

Yet it seemed there wasn't anything to do, because he was there. He did come back. Leaning casually upon a chain link fence, his arms crossed over his chest with his hands tucked against his sides. His eyes were closed, partially obscurred by his thick bangs. On either side of him were two boys also about his age. It was only these two that bothered to awknowledge her as she shyly made her way up to the trio.

Her lips parted, eyebrows knitting together in that way they did when she didn't know just what to say. Her hands clenched around the small bottle in her hands. The two on either side grinned down at her, thier lips quirked with bemused smiles. The one on the left nudged his elbow into frowny-line's ribs as to stir him. "Hey, Itachi, it seems that your fans just keep getting younger." He chuckled at his own joke, as did the other boy with them.

Their laughter stimulated her heart, and it now pounded through her chest with a reverbating embarressment that knocked her wordless. She didn't really have anything to say anyways. She had come all this way from her house, by herself, with the intentions to give some lonely boy she had only just met (and not even met, just... aquainted) nail polish. Purple nail polish.

She worried her lip, like she usually did before she would cry, but she didn't feel like crying. Her eyes stared at his feet, worrying her lip until she felt the skin split painfully. Uttering a soft squeak, her hand dropped along her side. Maybe it was a mistake to have come...

Just as her foot raised to take a step back, her vision met with his knee. He knelt down before her, and his large hand clasped over hers. He pulled her limb back against her chest, before turning her palm upward. Her head lifted just enough so that she could meet his eyes, and her cheeks tinged red. His dark eyes were staring back at her, the swirling black that hinted that there was a great tide of sadness deep within the hues. It didn't show on his face, but she could sense the loneliness. She knew it all too well.

"What do you have?" He asked her. His voice was soft, and his touch was warm. Rather than prying her fingers open, he waited for her to uncurl them herself. She did so, slowly, and her hand cramped with the clenching grasp she had upon the bottle. Resting comfortably in the palm of her hand was the bottle of purple nail polish. His head titled curiously, and he lifted the bottle with his other hand; the first still grasping hers gently.

The two behind him leaned forward to get a better look, and one snickered. Sakura's head fell down quickly, using her thick bangs to shield her face from their sarcastic grins; a grin that said I'm-so-much-better-than-you. She was used to those kinds of smiles. t was depressing. It was what situated her with loneliness, a deep sadness that was sometimes brushed off with sweet words and kind gestures but never really went away. It settled in the stomach, resting comfortably until it was instigated by little things like a rainy day or people laughing at something you don't understand._ Maybe it's me..._

She turned to go, turning her back towards those ominous leers that laughed at her. Laughter that said, why yes, we are laughing at you. Turning to flee back towards her home, where she should have never left in the first place. What had she been thinking? Ino didn't like frowny-lines... Itachi? And Ino was always right, almost always. And Ino was her friend... (Although sometimes she doubts it.)

Turning away, she took a step before feeling a tug upon her arm. He still held her hand in his grip which tightened as she pulled. She gazed back over her shoulder at him. He hadn't moved, holding her hand in one and the bottle pinched precariously between his two fingers. He was looking at the bottle, but as her arm attempted to tug free his eyes turned upon her. His head tilted slightly to the side, shuffling his bangs from his vision and she could see a brief warmth there, much like a candle's flame. He smiled at her then and whispered softly, "Thank you."

* * *

Author's Note: This was written last night about three o'clock. (Seems to be a habit to get the best writings ideas in the middle of the night.) And I really like it, if I say so myself. 

Maybe because this was how my boyfriend and I met.

Hope I wasn't too OOC. I love reviews. 3


End file.
